St Leger Festival: Preview and tips for Thursday's behind-closed-doors meeting at Doncaster

Day two of the 2020 Pertemps St Leger Festival promises to be an enthralling day of action with 2019 St Leger hero Logician set to make his eagerly awaited return to the track.
Jockey Andrea Atzeni is pictured after winning on Strait Of Hormuz during the St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse. Photo by David Davies - Pool/Getty ImagesJockey Andrea Atzeni is pictured after winning on Strait Of Hormuz during the St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse. Photo by David Davies - Pool/Getty Images
Jockey Andrea Atzeni is pictured after winning on Strait Of Hormuz during the St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse. Photo by David Davies - Pool/Getty Images

He runs in the opening £20,000 Conditions Stakes at 1.10pm, one of seven races on Thursday. The concluding event is the 4.15pm, whilst the feature race of the day is the £80,000 Group Two Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes at 3.15pm. We have previewed all of the action with stats and analysis.

The star of the show at Town Moor on Thursday is without a doubt Logician. John Gosden’s superstar is unbeaten in five starts and takes on just three rivals in the opener over 10 furlongs on his first run since landing the St Leger last season. He overcame a life-threatening bout of colic in the winter and is back to strut his stuff under regular pilot Frankie Dettori. Connections have not yet decided as to where he heads after this assignment, but he could legitimately take in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 3 where he could take on stable companions Enable and Stradivarius.

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His two rivals are headed by Zaaki who was fourth in a Group Three event at Haydock in August and needs to prove he is crying out for this trip. Godolphin’s Mythical Magic who was only sixth in a Listed event over a mile last time completes the triumvirate.

The £80,000 Group Two Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes (3.15pm) promises to be a cracking contest over 14-furlongs. Pista has looked a serious prospect in two easy wins in Ireland for Joseph O’Brien and is high on the shortlist along with Alpinista who recorded a career best when second to outstanding filly Love in the Yorkshire Oaks at York last time out.

Monica Sheriff has won five of her seven starts and was not disgraced when a fine fourth on her return to action in the Ebor. She clearly relishes testing conditions and she looks sure to play a leading role.

Believe In Love is a filly on the upgrade, notching four successive wins. This is clearly her biggest test to date, but she bolted up by 10 lengths at Newmarket on soft ground last time and has to enter calculations. Others who warrant a mention include Dubious Affair who was a good second in Listed company at Newmarket last time and Snow who was fifth in the Irish Oaks in July.

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The other Group race on the card is the Group Two May Hill Stakes (2.10pm). Zabeel Queen created a striking impression on debut when bolting up at Ascot. This daughter of Frankel clearly has plenty more to offer and is an exciting prospect. Frankie Dettori partners Indigo Girl who also scored on her debut for John Gosden at Yarmouth last month. She quickened up in taking fashion on that occasion and is a sister to Group One winner Journey.

Ubuntu brings solid Group form to the table having finished a good third in a Group Three event at the Curragh last time for Joseph O’Brien, whilst Prado was an excellent second towards the exciting Isabella Giles in the Group Three Prestige Stakes at Goodwood. Lilac Road, a smart winner at Doncaster last time out, also warrants a mention.

Doncaster Thursday Selections

1.10pm Logician

1.40pm Nazuna

2.10pm Zabeel Queen

2.40pm Yazaman

3.15pm Pista

3.45pm Broughtons Gold

4.15pm Breanski

Tips and analysis via BettingExpert

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